Trans-Studies

Trans-Studies is part of LGBT studies. Trans-Studies focuses on the intersection of sex and gender while understanding and acknowledging that there is a difference between sex and gender. Sex is biological and deals with the parts you were born with. Gender is an expression and is performed. Transgender individuals feel as if they were born in the wrong body. Trans-Studies is necessary to develop an understanding of the many layers that associated with being trans.

Trans discussions seemed to increase when the issue of bathroom discrimination surface. This is when many cispeople started to become aware of the trans community and how they were discriminated. Using the bathroom is very difficult and dangerous for people who are transgender; something so seemingly simple is not. The concept of “what bathroom is the right bathroom to use?” is a question that they are faced with every day. Fear erupts when the concept of gender neutral bathrooms is suggested. The supposed cis-fear for the safety for women and children seem often leaves out the safety for transgender people. Many people forget that bathroom activism isn’t a brand new notion. Bathroom activism was set in motion in the Civil Rights Movement when bathrooms were separated by race.

Trans-women and Trans-men ​who I Admire

The people you see above are Lavern Cox, Laith Ashley, Caitlyn Jenner, Amiyah Scott, Jazz Jennings, Sgt Shane Ortega, CeCe McDonald, Janet Mock, Alex Pharoah. These are people living out their true identities.

From the Syllabus

Every theme/unit and subtheme that we have studied and discussed in this class could/should be its own course, its own dissertation, and its own section in any library. This unit is no different. We are going to take up the causes of trans-studies--- particularly looking at the ways that transgender lives compel us to understand gender, sex, and sexuality in more critical ways.

My Friend's Story

Learning about trans culture became part of my life. I grew up with a friend who I referenced with female pronouns. After a few years, she became very distant. After many months, she finally told me and our other friends that she wanted to stop living her life as a female and wanted to live as a male. Right after hearing this, we were all hurt, not because our friend transitioned, but because he didn't think that we would still love him for him given the ways that society reacts to trans people.

I felt horrible that my friend would think we would imitate dominator culture's treatment of trans people. He was our friend and nothing was going to change that. We made many mistakes in the beginning as we were learning to adapt to his name change and preferred pronouns. However, he appreciated us correcting ourselves and knew that it would take some time. Just knowing that we were trying to support him was all that really mattered. You never know how your support can really help and matter to someone.